Posted on 10/19/21
| News Source: Arutz-7
The FBI swarmed the Washington DC residence of a Russian oligarch who is a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, a measure the agency called a “law enforcement activity,” the New York Post reported.
Dozens of agents were seen searching the billionaire’s mansion on Tuesday, which was blocked off with tape.
Some of the agents reportedly carried off boxes and other objects from the house.
NBC News reported that an FBI spokesperson would not state why the raid had been ordered. The FBI is also not commenting on whether Deripaska is under investigation.
Deripaska is an aluminum billionaire who is a close associate of Putin. He was placed under American sanctions by the Trump administration due to his ties to the Russian president as allegations swirled of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The sanctions resulted in the oligarch’s US assets being frozen, including his mansions in Washington DC and Manhattan. The FBI currently does not know where Deripaska is living.
Deripaska also has ties to former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, who was a paid consultant for the oligarch for years, the Post reported.
The aluminum tycoon had sued the US government to have the sanctions removed but the case was dismissed in June.
NBC News reported in January 2018 that Deripaska had been denied an American entry visa several times over alleged organized crime ties.